Trashed and Scattered
by kissmesosoft
Summary: Rikku tries to cover up current issues with alcohol, leaving Paine to nurse the emotionallywrecked theif back to her usual self. Paine's point of view.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Kay, so this is a very short opening for the story. Just wrote it a few minutes ago and I'm still not sure if I want to do anything with it...so since I haven't put anything on here in a while and there just aren't enough Paine/Rikku fics, I decided to put it up for shits and giggles if nothing else.

My eyes lolled as I slammed down the last drop of my fifth, that I can remember counting, jack and coke.

Today was just one of those days where you drink till you physically can't anymore.

I was debating between getting another one or going up to bed.

Yet I was in no condition to take a step, so I managed to get a finger up to signal one more concoction.

The ice jingled in the absence of liquid, tickling my earlobes in an almost painful way.

I could even hear the cubes sizzle slightly as the alcohol rushed down their slopes.

But what pulled me out of it all was something that could cause a hangover before it could ever cure it.

That voice, those thumping boots...there was just nothing alcoholic friendly about this girl.

She clomped over to the bar and took a spot at the stool next to me.

As my drink was being placed in front of me, she just smiled.

"Heya, Dr. P. Starting the day off right, eh?"

So what if it was only nine in the morning...I had been up all night anyways.

And I would have told her that too if I could have managed any words at the moment.

This lovely substance in the glass before me was absorbing all my attention rightfully.

I just took a swig and tried to get the glass back down without spilling it every where.

She just looked at me, with that little smirk of hers still there, and actually ordered a drink herself.

"Hmmm...how bout a tropical sunrise."

Kind of a bitch drink in my eyes, but not too bad considering who was getting it.

I studied her face as she took the first sip...and the next gulp...and finished the whole thing...

I might have been pretty damn drunk, but I could still comprehend that Rikku wasn't one to drink.

Not that much for sure.

Something was up.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: So I decided I wanted to continue this. Not really sure of the reasons. Anyways, here's the second part. Short as usual. Blame it on motivational issues.

I let my half-slitted eyes glaze over her figure, settling on her lips.

Her usual smirk was slightly pursed, as if it was strained.

Despite how uncaring the populas considered me to be, I did have a heart and knew how and when to use it.

What the hell did they know anyway?

Absolutely nothing as far as I was concerned.

"Rikku...Hey..."

My drunken mind faltered when her eyes pierced mine.

She just kind of stared at me quizically, expectantly.

And I had no words to say.

Cocking her head to the side, a few strands of hair fell in her face, far from marring the sight.

I don't think I'd ever really just looked at the little thief.

She was stunning.

Everything portioned out just right, those lithe legs, and golden locks.

The epitome of beach girl.

Usually that look would just send me walking the other way, but there was something intriguing about this Al Bhed.

I could tell that behind her hyperactive, optimistic persona there was a deeper core to her.

The kind of thinking mode that few people can ever hope to even get a glimpse of in their own life.

I wonder if she's only like that since the pilgrimage with her cousin.

Perhaps she's always had those deep secrets though...

I could see her mind constantly stiring thoughts through her eyes.

And her eyes...classic Al Bhed green swirls.

Mesmirizing.

"Paine...?"

She waved her hands in front of me, completly pulling me out of my head.

But she didn't stop once she had my attention, so I grabbed a hand.

I had the sudden urge to link my fingers with hers.

Before I could even supress the inclination she had already done it for me.

Her thumb was steadly rolling over my skin.

"You alright?"

I had to take a deep breath before answering.

My head was really starting to spin, and I don't think the alcohol was to blame any longer.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just need another drink."

She took it upon herself to order one up for me, and another for herself.

I lit a cigarette up as our drinks were delivered.

Drinking and smoking go hand-in-hand with me, and I don't like to break habits.

Rikku just kind of tranced out watching the smoke spiral above our heads.

"So what has you drinking anyways?"

Her hand tightened around mine for a second before she lifted it away, seperating our fingers only to trail them down my open palm.

"Just one of those day I guess."

She tried to giggle it off, but I wasn't about to fall for that.

"Look, I know something's on your mind. I'm not about to push you into bringing it up if you don't want to, but I will listen if you need to talk."

I took another drag off my cigarette as she ran her fingers back and lined our fingers up.

She'd been looking down as I spoke to her and her head still rested in that position.

"Thank you."

I could barely hear her words.

"Really, thank you."

She lifted her chin and I finally realized why she had been looking away this whole time.

I relinked our hands and let my cigarette fall to the bar, using that hand to hold her chin instead.

A single tear was flowing down her frame and I wiped it away as abruptly as I could, as if it was the cause of all her problems.

"Rikku..."

When her eyes opened our faces were almost touching, and her gaze definetly was.

"I'm just so tired..."

She nuzzled into my hand for a brief second before leaning in towards me.

Our breaths mingled, our eyelashes danced with each other before fluttering to a halt.

If contact could be described as sound is, our lips met in a whisper.

A whisper that faded back into silence fast enough to make you wonder if it really existed at all.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Kay, so I needed to get this up in order to make sure this story doesn't die out. I hate when I do that. This story will be my solution. I hope. Sorry about the chapters being so short...

I slowly let my eyes flutter open, as if waking.

The past few minutes sure felt like a dream.

Yet upon opening my eyes my vision focused on nothing other than Rikku's face, still dangerously close.

Her lips were slightly parted and I could almost feel her breathing, each passing lungful somehow pulling me closer.

It was so hard to resist the urge in my inebriated state.

One more stolen kiss will not be the end.

If I go in for another, it'll be a naked morning full of regrets.

I licked my lips trying to remove the sting stuck on them; a impression I had associated with alcohol, and now Rikku's lips.

Suddenly realizing my hands were still craddling her face I withdrew them and fitted my discarded cigarette back in its rightful place, resting between the index and middle finger on my left hand.

In abandonment it had burned halfway down and that sent a small pang of sadness to my heart.

I made sure the next hit filled all my lungs in cancerous glory.

Rikku seemed to still be dazed by her own actions, slightly swaying on the stool, eyes still shut.

I released my spectacular lungful of smoke right into the little theif's face, hoping to elict some kind of reaction.

Her eyes pulled shut harder than they already were, lips curled down in a slight frown, as her nose crinkled in displeasure.

Finally Rikku was back to this world.

And then all of a sudden those Al Bhed swirls were focused intently on me.

"I'm sorry," she murmured as she scuffled away from the bar, away from me.

I listened to her boots stamp up the stairs, absentmindedly watching the smoke from my cigarette drift upwards as well.

Well, there's no way I can let her just run off like that.

Time to go do some friendly emotion control.

I slammed the last of my drink down my throat and crushed what was left of my smoke, making my way slowly and uncertainly to the Al Bhed girl.

The buzz from the alcohol had each step feeling heavier, the stairs looming before me in a mocking manner.

FUCK.

Rikku owes me for this drunken climb alone.

Finally at the last step I let my fingers fall from grazing the handrail once the theif entered my sights.

She was curled upon herself on the closest bed.

Thank Yevon.

I don't know if I could've make it all the way across to hers without some massive problems.

Too many piles of clothes near her bed.

It's really ridiculous considering how little she actually wears.

Her being in my bed will make sleeping in a bit a little more intresting.

I don't think she's going anywhere anytime soon.

Posed almost in fetal position, Rikku looked like all emotional hell had just broken loose in her poor mind.

Her breathing was irate, but when I moved to her side I noticed there were no tears.

Not sure if that's a good sign or not.

I kneeled, as if praying for the words to say, the actions to take, the swift return of Rikku's joy.

A hand outstretched to tilt her chin upwards.

You should always look up.

The Al Bhed kept her eyes shut, doing nothing but pressing my hand closer to her skin with one of her own.

"Rikku..."

"Hold me."

Her beautiful green eyes thrust open and gazed so frighteningly at the warrior.

"Please just hold me tight. Like you'll never let go. Like you'll never leave..."


	4. Chapter 4

Her soul was screaming through her eyes, the intensity of it forcing me to swallow hard before words would come forth.

"Always."

I closed my eyes tightly, for the sight of her like this pained me.

Swiftly, gently, I curled her shaking frame into my own.

Her face buried into the crook of my neck and her hands gripped wildly at my sides, as if there was no way to be as close as she needed.

I slowly lowered us onto the bed and let my own arms overcome her small torso.

Unconsciously I started rubbing comfort circles on her back and shoulders.

Her breathing pattern slowed, but there was still that unease about her.

_Shit. What can I do to fix this...let's see...stories, memories, something._

"Rikku, do you remember when we first met, that rainey day in the thunder plains?

I was stubbornly refusing to stop at all and just drudging through.

The rainfall was so abundant that I could barely see anything through it, and that's when we collided into each other.

You were running with such force I thought for sure you were going to take me out when you hit me, but you just slumped into me on impact.

When you finally looked up your eyes were filled with such an intense fear..."

"You didn't know what to do with me," Rikku giggled.

"I had been camping out to get over my fear of lightning and thunder but I just couldn't handle it.

Sitting in that tent, listening to the storm around me...I just couldn't spend the night out there.

I figured the Inn was my closest salvation, so I started running in a wild frenzy to get out of the storm as fast as possible.

And then you...I was so frightened of getting caught out in that storm, but when I fell into you, when I looked up at your face...well, you looked like this adorably soaked puppy dog and all I could do was smile."

The theif giggled again and nuzzled closer to Paine who instinctively gave her a gently squeeze in a return show of affection.

"You were so worried about what had gotten me to that state that you rushed me straight to the Inn to get me out of the unknown danger.

Then while we were drying you asked me all about it."

Rikku curled her head around, leveling our stares.

"I felt so silly."

Paine had to fight against a smirk.

_I should not think Rikku's cute._

_You're just drunk, same reason she kissed you earlier._

_Alright, let's not dwell on this._

"You are silly," Paine mused, causing Rikku to stick her tongue out before snuggling back into her teammate.

"Tell me another story," Rikku mumbled into Paine's neck.

The sensation of the Al Bhed's hot breath made her shiver and tense slightly.

"One about your past, before you met me and joined the Gullwings."

The warrior sighed, wracking her brain for a memory she didn't mind sharing while still thinking on the stuation at hand.

"Well..."

Paine paused when a loud snoore interrupted her before she could really begin.

_Thank Yevon._

Letting out another sigh, she tried to shift her head enough to get a glimpse of the sudden sleeper.

Figuring herself stuck for the night, Paine manuevered a cigarette out of her pocket and lit it up.


End file.
